I was recently made aware of someone that has been dealing with some on-going health issues. It was nothing catastrophic, but serious enough nonetheless.

I made inquiries about their present condition and was told “They’re hanging in there”. Not sounding very convincing, I asked again and was told “They’ll be alright”. Still not convinced, I decided to probe a bit deeper as to how they were really doing.

The person proceeded to say “well, they don’t like to profess anything negative”. Of course, I immediately recognized this as classic word of faith (WOF) teaching because one of their beliefs is that your words have creative power, and you can bring negative things into your life just by speaking them.

My response? I told them that I believed in professing the TRUTH, in telling it like it is. If I feel great I’ll say so. If I feel sick I will say so. Saying “I don’t like to profess anything negative” doesn’t do one thing to mask the pain and discomfort when that’s what I’m feeling.

If you want to drill down to it, it’s actually dishonest to do this!

I’m paraphrasing here, but WOF adherents believe that if you speak positive things like blessings and prosperity, blessings will be coming your way shortly. However, speak anything they interpret as being negative such as pain, disease, or sickness, and bad things are coming upon you.

Now, the purpose of this post is not to do a comparative analysis of all that’s wrong with WOF theology. I simply want to point out that the scriptures do not teach what the WOF adherents believe as it pertains to sickness or disease. For example:

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:14-16

James is recognizing that there are sick people among the congregation. Why didn’t he launch into the benefits of positive confession if indeed that is all that is required? Or why didn’t he scold the people for confessing negative things like sickness, or for their apparent lack of faith?

Instead, James says to call for the elders of the church to pray for the sick. He did NOT say to call for the elders to speak a positive confession over them. He told them to pray a prayer of faith.

Could it be that James knew what he was talking about? Well, I’d like to believe he did! While James apparently did not become a believer until after the resurrection1, he had no doubt seen the power of prayer up close and personal.

What he did NOT see was a Sermon on the Mount about the benefits of a positive confession. Nor did he ever see Jesus admonish a grief stricken parent for their lack of faith, or for speaking negative words.

What he DID see however was the power of prayer in action.

And that my friends, trumps a positive confession any day of the week!

On Sunday my wife Debbie sang a beautiful Vicki Yohe song entitled “Anoint Me Lord”. If you’ve never heard this song before, I highly recommend giving it a listen.

The message this song conveys is one of asking the Lord to equip us for His service. So often if we aren’t careful, the life we live as Christians can easily become one where it’s more about us than Him. How easily it can turn into being about us being served, rather than us serving Him.

I think about how our vision becomes blurred at times, clouded by the cares and responsibilities of this life. Before we know it, it’s happened to each of us and we are no longer able to focus on the really important things.

That is when God has to pull us back and remind us that when he saved us, He had a greater purpose in store for us than to sit by and watch others struggle along their way.

You see, you weren’t called of God to become just another member of the “frozen chosen” club, but to be Salt and Light in the lives of others.

““You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

May we all fully realize that God has called us to win others, and to shine our lights upon a world groping in gross darkness, that the people might see that there is a great Light in the midst of such darkness.

Anoint Me Lord by Vicki Yohe

Here I am again Lord, Asking for more
Fill me up completely, With the anointing oil
Not only my head, But every part of me
I’m yielded and humbly thine, A servant to thee

Anoint me Lord this day, As I go along my way
Let my life send forth a glow, Let the oil around me flow
Anoint me Lord, This day I pray
Amen

Broken hearts and lives, Can be mended anew
Just with one touch, Dear Lord from you
Let the oil and the wine, Bring healing divine
To every wounded soul, Let it overflow

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